The A+ Exams Guide: (Exam 220-301), (Exam 220-302) (TestTakers Guides)

Overview of Windows NT

In 1993, Microsoft introduced Windows NT to the world in order to meet the great demand for a true network operating system business solution. The original implementation of NT came in the form of Windows NT Server 3.1. After several modifications, Windows NT Server 3.51 was released. In 1996, Windows NT Server 4.0 and NT Workstation 4.0 were released.

Windows NT was originally designed with the following concepts and features in mind:

• Compatibility. It was imperative that Windows NT be able to support and communicate with other file systems, such as FAT, OS/2 HPFS (High Performance File System), Mac OS, CDFS (Compact Disc File System), Unix, Novell Netware, and other NTFS (NT File System) operating systems. To be compatible with such file systems, NT was designed to provide support for networking protocols such as TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NWLink, AppleTalk, DLC, and NetBEUI.

• Reliability and stability. Windows NT was designed to protect the major components of the operating system from other programs and applications that might fail. It was also designed to protect each program and application from all others by allowing each to run in its own Virtual Machine (VM). Windows NT is also considered the first truly fault-tolerant operating system. It was designed to provide built-in support for redundant storage through the use of Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID).

• Security. Unlike a peer-to-peer network that uses password-protected shares, Windows NT was designed to centralize the control of user access to network resources through the use of special domain controller computers that authenticate users. These controller computers are known as primary and backup domain controllers.

• Performance. Windows NT was designed to provide support for the use of multiple processors and true multitasking abilities. It can support true 32-bit preemptive multitasking while maintaining backward support for 16-bit cooperative programs.

• Internet Explorer and Web services support. Windows NT has built-in support for Internet Explorer and a personal Web server.

The current A+ Operating Systems Technologies exam will most likely focus on your ability to troubleshoot Windows NT boot operations, emergency repair operations, and file system compatibility issues. To give you the best possible chance of passing the exam, it is highly recommended that you support the knowledge you will gain in this chapter with hands-on experience. In other words, follow along with the examples provided in this chapter on a real computer system running Windows NT Server or Workstation 4.0.